Hedge trimmer



March 16, 1937. L v, ;\.EWMAN zmwsz HEDGE TRIMMER Original Filed Aug. 21, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

i L-I :NEW 522- BY II I I I ORNEY.

March 16, 1937. v NEWMAN 2,074,032

HEDGE TRIMMER Original Filed Aug. 21, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

./ TTORNEY.

L. V NEW man March 16, 1937. v NEWMAN 2,@74,@fi2

HEDGE TRIMMER OriginaLF iled Aug. 21, 1933 s Sheets-Sheet s 0 I10 oi lnu, \IIII IHI Q m a g 2% a is; 6 v

Q P N INVENTOR.

L. V NEWJTZEH Patented Mar. 16 1 93? PATENT OFFICE HEDGE TRIMMER Lloyd -V. Newman, Racine, Wis.

Refiled for (abandoned) application Serial No.

686,026, August 21,

1933; This application April 8, 1936, Serial No. 73,390

2 Claims.

and even then difiicultyis encountered in having the sides and top faces of thehedge uniform. 15 Besides the skill required in trimming of the hedge, the same is a laborious and time consuming task.

It is, therefore, another prime object of my invention to provide a hedge trimming machine having novel means associated therewith for simultaneously trimming both the sides and top of a hedge, the machine being supported for movement on tracks arranged on opposite sides of the hedge, the tracks insuring the proper guidingof the machine during its travel for positively cutting the sides and top of the'hedge evenly.

A further salient object of my invention is the provision of a drive shaft on the trimmer, which can be either actuated manually or by a prime mover for operating the top and side cutters, the shaft also operating the track wheels carried by the machine, so that the machine will be automatically-' advanced as the hedge 'is being trimmed. I

A further important object of my invention is the provision of novel means for adjusting the side cutters relative to oneanother, so that the hedges of different widths can be readily trimmed.

A further object of my invention is the provision of means whereby the supporting tracks orrails can be raised or lowered, so that the machine can be supported at different heights for effectively operating on different sized hedges.

A further object of my invention isthe provision of means detachably associated with the supporting track or rails, whereby the trimming machine can be moved up and down during its travel for making elevations in the hedge at different points, for the representation of columns, orthe like, where a hedge of'a fanciful type is desired.

A still furtherobject of my invention is to procharacter, which will be durable and efficient in use, one that will be simple and easy to manufacture, and one which can be placed upon themarket at a reasonablecost.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel'construction, arrangement, and formation of parts, as will be hereinafter more specifically described, claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved hedge trimming machine, showing the same supported for movement on the trackway.

Figure 2 is a detailed vertical section through one of the supporting sockets for the track supporting posts.

Figure 3 is a detailed section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows, illustrating means for connecting the track or railswith the upper end of the supporting posts.

Figure 4 is a front elevation of my'improved hedge trimming device.

Figure 5 is a detailed, transverse sectional view through the frame of the hedge trimmer, illustratingmeans for supportingone of the side outters.

Figure 6 is a top'plan view'ofthehedge trimmer, the track not being shown in this View.

- Figure 7 is -a detailed sectional view through the operating cam and cam strap for the side outters.

Figure 8 is a front elevation of the operating cam and cam strap for the side cutters, the shaft for the cam being shown in section.

Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the letter A generally indicates my improved hedge trimming machine, which comprises asupporting frame lilj This frame [0 embodies a rear cross bar II and spaced parallel front cross bars l2 and I3.

These bars H, [2, and I3 are all connected together by the side rails or bars Hi. I preferably 'form the bars ll, i2, and I3 of angle iron, and it can be noted by referring to Figure 5 that the vertical flanges of the front bars 12 and I3 are disposed adjacent to one another to define a guideway M, for a purpose" which will be later set forth. The central portion of the frame If] embodies spaced parallel straps l5, which are bolted or. otherwise secured to the bars I l and j] 2. The straps l5 can be connected together. by a cross brace l6,- V

Extending across the frame If) is the main operating shaft l1, which is mounted in suitable bearings |8 carried by the side rails or bars l4, and the straps l5. This shaft H can be driven in any preferred manner, either by hand or by the use of a prime mover. In the present illustration, I have shown the outer ends of the shaft |1 provided with polygonal extensions IQ for detachably receiving a hand crank 26. At the longitudinal center of the frame, a driven shaft 2| is provided, and this shaft is rotatably mounted in bearings 22 carried by the cross strap l6 and the front angle bar l3. Any desired means can be provided for operating the shaft 2| from the main shaft I 1, such as by the use of bevel gearing 23. The shaft 2| is utilized for operating the top cutter or hedge trimmer 24, and for operating the side cutters or hedge trimmers 33 and 34.

The top hedge trimmer 24 extends out the front of the machine and substantially entirely blade 26.

5 Depending brackets 28 are rigidly secured to the front angle bar l3 of the frame and are bolted or otherwise secured, as at 29, to the rear face of the stationary cutter bar 25. The stationary cutter bar 25 and the reciprocatory cutter bar 26 are maintained in proper relation to one another by the use of bolts 3|], which extend through slots 3| in the movable cutter blade 26, and through openings in the stationary cutter blade 25. Expansion springs 32 are placed about the bolts and are confined between the movable cutter bar 26 and the heads of the bolts. This means'holds the blades together at the desired tension. The forward end of the driven shaft 2| is provided with a crank wheel 35, and a pitman 36 is employed for connecting the crank wheel with the top cutter bar 26. Obviously, during rotation of the shaft 2|, the top cutter bar will be reciprocated.

The side cutters 33 and 34 are of identical construction, and each includes an inner stationary cutter bar 31 and an outer reciprocatory cutter bar 38. The forward edges of the cutter bars 31 and 38 are provided with cutting teeth 39. The upper ends of the stationary cutter bars 31 have bolted or otherwise secured thereto hinge straps 40. These hinge straps 40 are connected by means of hinge pins 4| with supporting brackets 42, which engage the lower faces of the angle bars l2 and I3.

Extending between the angle bars l2 and |3 are bosses 43 formed on the upper ends of the brackets 42, and these bosses are provided with threaded extensions 44, which extend through the supporting plates 45. As clearly shown in Figure 4 of the drawings, the supporting plates 45 are disposed on opposite sides of the longitudinal center of the machine and are utilized for supporting certain operating mechanism for the side cutters, as will be later described.

Thumb nuts 46 are placed on the threaded extensions 44 for engaging the supporting plates 45, and these nuts serve as means for holding the plates 45 in an adjusted position, as well as the side cutters 33 and 34.

Additional bolts 41 can be employed for holding the plates 45 in adjusted position. As shown, these bolts 41 extend between the front bars l2 and 3 through the guideway l4, and holding plates 48 engage the lower faces of the front bars I2 and I3. A suitable thumb nut 49 is threaded on each of the bolts 41 in engagement with the plates 45.

By adjusting the plates 45 toward and away from one another, the side cutters 33 and 34 can be readily regulated to the width of the hedge being trimmed, and means is also provided for adjusting the angle of the blades 33 and 34, so that the hedge can be cut in different shapes, if desired. The hinge joint 4| allows the swinging movement of the side cutters 33 and 34, and the same can be held in their adjusted positions by means of adjustable straps 5|]. The straps 50 are provided with registering slots through which extend the holding bolts 5|. The opposite ends of the straps are pivotally connected, as at 52, to the forward ends of the side bars I4 and to angle brackets 53, respectively.

The angle brackets 53 are in turn connected by means of bolts 54 with the stationary cutter blades 31 of the side cutters. The bolts 54 are rigidly carried by the stationary blades 31 and extend through slots 55 in the reciprocatory blades 38.

The means for reciprocating the movable blades 38 of the side cutters 33 and 34 consists of a cam wheel 56 keyed to the driven shaft 2|. The cam wheel 56 is surrounded by a cam strap 51, which carries sockets for receiving the inner ends of the pitman rods 58. The outer ends of the pitman rods 58 are adjustably mounted in cuffs 59 carried by the upper arms of bell cranks 66. The bell cranks 66 are rockably mounted at their angles, as at 6|, on suitable bearing brackets carried by the adjustable plates 45. The lower arms of the bell cranks 60 have pivotally connected thereto links 62, which are in turn pivotally connected to attachment arms 63 secured to the reciprocating blades 38 of the side cutters.

From the description so far, it can be seen that when the main operating shaft 1 is rotated, the driven shaft 2| will be actuated therewith, and this shaft will in turn actuate the front cutter through the medium of the crank and pitman 35 and 36, and the side cutters, through the medium of the bell cranks 60, rods 58, the cam 56 and cam strap 51.

One of the important features of my invention is the provision of novel means for supporting the machine relative to the hedge being trimmed, and this means comprises longitudinally extending side tracks or rails 16, which are disposed on opposite sides of the hedge.

These tracks or rails 10 can be in the nature of angle bars, and are bolted or otherwise secured to caps 1|, which are in turn secured by means of bolts 12 to cuffs 13 carried by the upper ends of supporting posts or standards 14. The standards 14 are detachably and adjustably received within sockets 15. The lower ends of the sockets 15 are tapered, as at 16, to provide penetrating prongs, and these sockets are driven at spaced points into the ground on each side of the hedge.

It is preferred to leave the sockets permanently positioned in the ground, and when the posts 14 are removed therefrom, the upper ends of the sockets can be closed by means of removable plugs 11.

The posts can be raised or lowered in the sockets 15 in order to hold the tracks or rails 16 in different elevated adjusted positions, and the posts can be held in their preferred adjusted positions by means of cross pins 18, which can be inserted in selected openings in the posts for engagement with the upper faces of the sockets.

If desired, the posts 14 can be connected together by brace rails 19, and these rails 19 carry pins 80 for insertion in suitable socket openings in the posts. Similar brace rails can be placed through the hedgefor connecting posts on opposite sides of the hedge together.

In order to mount the frame I!) of the machine on its supporting trackway for free movement, wheel brackets Bl are secured tothe frame I adjacent to the rear ends thereof for supporting grooved rear wheels 82- for engaging the track.

Similar grooved front wheels 83 are provided for supporting the front of the frame, and these wheels 83 are keyed or otherwise secured to stub shafts 84 carried by front wheel brackets 85, secured to the frame Ill. The stub shafts 84 also have keyed thereto relatively large pulley wheels 86. The pulley wheels 86 have trained thereabout, drive wheel belts 81, which are in turn trained over relatively small pulley wheels 88. The pulley wheels 88 are keyed or otherwise secured to stub shafts 89 rotatably carried by the sides of the frame. These stub shafts also have keyed thereto pulley wheels 90 of a larger size than the pulley wheels 88, and the pulley wheels 90 have trained thereabout belts 9|. The belts 9| are trained over small drive pulley wheels 92, keyed ,or otherwise secured to the main operating shaft 11.

It, therefore, can be seen from the description that upon rotation of the drive shaft ll, not only the top and side cutters can be operated, but also the front track wheels 83 will be rotated for drawing the machine over the rails. Thus, the machine is automatically fed over the hedge dur ing the reciprocation of the cutter bars.

Means can also be provided for making the different curvatures in the top of the hedge during the trimming thereof, if so desired, and. this means may consist of arcuate track sections 93, which can be secured to the rails m by means of straps 94. When the machine strikes the curved track sections 93, the frame It] will be elevated, consequently elevating the top cutter bar for bringing about the cutting of the hedge in a sinuous form.

From the foregoing description it can be seen that I have provided an exceptionally simple and novel means for trimming hedges, which will insure the uniform and proper trimming of the hedge, with a minimum amount of effort on the part of the operator of the machine.

Changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit or the scope of this invention, but what I claim as new is:

1. A device for trimming'hedges comprising a wheeled supporting frame including a pair of spaced parallel front bars, a horizontally disposed top cutter carried by said bars, a pair of plates slidably mounted on the top face of the bars, means for adjustably holding the plates in a selected position on the top bars, depending brackets carried by the plates extending between the bars, and side cutter bars connected with said brackets, Said connection embodying a hinge joint and adjustable braces connecting the side cutter bars intermediate their ends with the frame, whereby the angle of the side cutter bars can be changed.

2. A device for trimming hedges comprising a wheeled supporting frame, a horizontally disposed top cutter connected to the frame including a stationary cutter bar and a reciprocatory cutter bar, depending side cutters carried by the frame adjustable toward and away from each other and each including a stationary cutter bar and a reciprocatory cutter bar, a main operating shaft on the frame, a driven shaft operatively connected to the main shaft, a crank and p-itman connecting the driven shaft withthe reciprocatory cutter bar of the horizontally disposed cutter, a cam on said driven shaft, a cam strap surrounding the cam, bell cranks rockably mounted at their angles on the frame, means operatively connecting the inner arms of the bell cranks to the cam strap, and means operatively connecting the outer arms of the bell cranks to the reciprocatory blades of the side cutters, said means being adjustably connected with the outer arms of the bell cranks to agree with the adjustment of the side cutters.

LLOYD V. NEWMAN. 

